About Us

Patron, Geoffrey Rush, AC

Patron Geoffrey Rush AC has been involved in stage and film for more than 30 years. He has received many national and international awards including an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy, as well as 2012 Australian of the Year. Geoffrey is married to fellow thespian Jane Menelaus and they have two children. It is because of his admiration for Jane’s father, co-founder of SBFV Malcolm Menelaus, that he is honoured to be our Patron. Watch Geoffrey speak about SBFV and what we do in this short video.

Ambassador, Richard Colman

Ambassador Richard Colman is a Paralympic and world champion wheelchair track athlete, coach, motivational speaker, world traveller and blogger. He was born with spina bifida and is one of SBFV’s most valued and inspiring supporters. Richard believes that he is “very lucky to have been born with my disability because it has given me so many opportunities in life that I would never have otherwise experienced… We face huge challenges from the wider community who believe they are doing the right thing, but can often get it wrong. We are moving in the right direction but we have so far to go with the disability movement here in Australia and around the world, however if we all speak up then things will change for the good.”

Co-Founder, Malcolm B. Menelaus (1930 – 2000)

Malcolm B. Menelaus (1930 – 2000), Co-Founder Malcolm Menelaus was involved with the orthopaedic management of children with spina bifida for more than 30 years. He understood the need to ensure proper management and coordinated support for children with spina bifida and their families. By pooling the experiences of the spina bifida clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital and other international centres, he believed a clearer picture of the best treatment for this complex condition would emerge. SBFV was founded as a network for families and a contact point for information.

Our mission statement

"Helping people living with spina bifida"

Our agreed priorities

Build resources and funding to facilitate growth of SBFV; which enables the following: